2019 School Magazine

SCHOOL MAGAZINE 2019 BRISBANE GIRLS GRAMMAR SCHOOL

BRISBANE GIRLS GRAMMAR SCHOOL

CONTENTS HOUSES

05

SENIORS

24

COMMUNITY

36

SERVICE

50

CURRICULUM

59

CO-CURRICULUM

89

CREATIONS

115

SPORT 130 EDITORIAL

W elcome to the Brisbane Girls Grammar School 2019 School Magazine . What a year it has been! Each page of this year’s magazine provides an insight into the vibrant and exciting culture of Girls Grammar, from academic achievements to the School’s comprehensive co-curricular offerings, this publication celebrates the diversity of our school. Each term has brought new opportunities, experiences and memories, all of which have enabled the Girls Grammar community to develop and thrive. In 2019, the Publications Committee has endeavoured to embrace and integrate the Student Council’s motto: ‘Our Spirit is True, Our Heart is Blue’. It has been incredible to witness the powerful effect of this year’s motto in unifying us as Grammar sisters.The motto—proudly featured on the cover—established a clear direction for

the 2019 magazine and inspired the committee to take advantage of visual presentations and new design concepts. We hope that as you read this magazine, our design concept excites and surprises you. At Girls Grammar, curiosity and creativity flourishes. From music to service, sport to debating and science to drama, the culture at our school is rich, bursting with diversity and enthusiasm. The talent, dedication and passion demonstrated by each Grammar girl must be celebrated. To capture the many successes of 2019 in just one magazine would be impossible, but with the combined effort of students and staff, the Publications Committee has provided a snapshot into the extraordinary life of a Grammar girl. Sophie Sheppard (12W) PUBLICATIONS COMMITTEE CAPTAIN

02 | BRISBANE GIRLS GRAMMAR SCHOOL 2019

From the Principal Ms Jacinda Euler

T hroughout 2019, the girls and young women of Brisbane Girls Grammar School have brought to life the 2019 Student Council’s motto: ‘Our Spirit is True, Our Heart is Blue’. As a lifelong memento for all 2019 students, the Publications Committee has created this School Magazine , which features a selection of stories and images that beautifully capture from all Year levels the essence of the motto—love, spirit and gratitude. This year was another exciting year at Girls Grammar—full of challenging endeavours, deepened relationships, some astonishing achievements and meaningful moments. From the classroom to the stage, sporting field and concert hall, the diversity of Grammar girls’ accomplishments this year have been extraordinary. We are a School that sets high expectations for students and fosters a learning culture that encourages rigorous investigation and intellectual risk taking. Providing experiences outside the classroom setting is an invaluable aspect of learning and development at the School.

Students have had the opportunity to be involved in a variety of pursuits including service, community and leadership programs, performing and visual arts, music ensembles, sporting teams, study tours, debating and numerous special interest clubs. The breadth and depth of experiences displayed is testament to the educational ethos of the School, and the spirit and commitment demonstrated by students and teachers throughout 2019. There is so much to celebrate and be proud of, and the School Magazine artfully captures the individual and collective contributions of all students, and celebrates the Girls Grammar sisterhood. It has been my continued pleasure to witness the acumen and energy of every Grammar girl, and to work with teaching and professional staff who display uncompromising commitment to educating and caring for our students. To the Year 12 class of 2019, as you embark on your lives beyond the picket fence—as Grammar Women— I know your time at our School will be as much a part of your history as it will ours, and hope that you will approach your future with confidence.

BRISBANE GIRLS GRAMMAR SCHOOL 2019 | 03

HEAD

GIRLS

T his year, as a Student Council, we devised three themes to underpin the School motto—love, spirit and gratitude. We encouraged girls to spread the love: for their School, their peers, and, most importantly, themselves. We wanted to see girls go above and beyond expectations and dare to show more spirit in all aspects of School life. We also aimed to cultivate a strong culture of gratitude for the opportunities we are afforded at Girls Grammar, and create more opportunities for girls to give back. These themes led to the Student Council’s 2019 motto: ‘Our Spirit is True, Our Heart is Blue’. As Head Girls, one of our main goals for the year was to make School assemblies more enjoyable. We envisioned that this would encourage greater attentiveness and ultimately more participation, aligning with our value of spirit. To achieve this, we devoted a lot of time to thinking of puns, jokes, cultural references, skits, and musical performances that we could mention and incorporate into our fortnightly speeches. Our efforts were very well received by girls, and we noticed a change in the attentiveness of our audience. From this we saw a notable increase in spirit, particularly through greater participation in Blue Days and increased support at other School events, such as debating, sporting fixtures and music concerts.

Around the world, the themes of climate change, global warming and sustainability were topical this year, reflecting the environmental crises many corners of the world are facing at the moment. As Grammar girls, we care deeply about contributing to our community, and the environment is something we are passionate about and want to preserve. This year, the School implemented some important steps towards becoming more environmentally friendly, through the installation of solar panels, ‘Containers-for-Change’ bins, the use of biodegradable utensils on Open Day, and only recyclable or reusable items being used to adorn the School for Blue Days. As well as making these changes, Student Council has paved the way towards many new initiatives that will be implemented next year. One of these is the addition of badges for House Service Captains. We wanted to recognise the important contribution these leaders make to our School community and the responsibility they hold. As we approach the end of a major milestone in our lives, we give our greatest thanks to the girls who helped us make this year one we will never forget. We wish all girls every success as they continue their journey through Girls Grammar and hope they will continue to be guided by love, spirit, and gratitude. Always remember, ‘Our Spirit is True, Our Heart is Blue!’ Martina Marrama (12G) and Jessica McLeod (12M) HEAD GIRLS

04 | BRISBANE GIRLS GRAMMAR SCHOOL 2019

HOUSE S

HOUSE S

BEANLAND

HAND IN HAND, TOGETHER WE STAND, PAW IN PAW, HEAR OUR ROAR

T his year’s motto, ‘Hand in hand, together we stand, paw in paw, hear our roar’, was inspired by our desire to unite Beanland House in 2019. We saw this year as a chance to demonstrate our spirit and ensure that every member of our House knew that they were supported by their Beanland sisters. In Term 1, Beanland ‘Bean Pods’ were introduced. These ‘pods’ consisted of two or three girls from each Year level and allowed students to get to know each other in a social setting. Our first event of the year was the House party where we had a scavenger hunt—all while being decked out in pink! Other activities included limbo and some fantastic photo walls. Our House Charity this year was Smart Pups, an organisation that aims to help

Don’t Stop Me Now . Later in the term, Beanland placed fifth at the Interhouse Cross Country Carnival. Our greatest success this year was at the Interhouse Athletics Carnival where we placed first in both the Relay Cup and the Student/Staff Relay. This resulted in our House placing third overall, a victory for Beanland that we, as House Captains, haven’t seen in our time at Girls Grammar. This year would not have been possible without our Head of House, Ms Christopherson, and her consistent hard work and love for Beanland House. We will forever treasure the memories we have made as a part of Beanland House. Ellen Dowling and Arabella Walsh HOUSE CAPTAINS

children and their families achieve a greater quality of life through the companionship of a Smart Pup. The Year 11 girls did a fantastic job of organising the Beanland House Open Day stall and sold fairy floss and ribbons to raise $2500 for our charity. The Interhouse Swimming Carnival held great success for Beanland. With a three-way tie for first place, Beanland secured ‘second’ place, only 13 points behind the winning Houses. This would not have been possible without the dedication and spirit shown by all girls on the day, but in particular the efforts of Olivia Choo (7B), 12-Years Age Champion and Charlotte Kennedy (7B), 13- Years Age Champion. Term 2 involved Interhouse Choir where we sang and danced our way through Queen’s

06 | BRISBANE GIRLS GRAMMAR SCHOOL 2019

BRISBANE GIRLS GRAMMAR SCHOOL 2019 | 07

HOUSE S

ENGLAND

STRENGTHEN OUR BONDS, OLD & NEW, WE’LL SOAR HIGH IN ENGLAND BLUE

D eveloped by Year 12 students, this year’s motto was ‘Strengthen our bonds, old and new, we’ll soar high in England Blue’. Our goal this year was to facilitate unity throughout England. This was achieved through the introduction of ‘nests’—groups of girls which incorporated every Year level, with the hope that each girl would come away with new friends across the Year levels in her House. These ‘nests’ first came into play at the England House Party, with a spectacular ‘Blue’s Clues’ treasure hunt in small groups. This year, our Year 12 Leadership Group facilitated England House Council meetings on the first Monday of each term for House Group captains from each Year level. These meetings encouraged teamwork and created a space to share ideas and increase

communication between the different House Groups and Year levels. This was a key method through which we strived to achieve unity within England House this year. England excelled in Interhouse competitions this year. We saw an immense amount of support across all events with blue pom-poms and creative and colorful signs making a repeat appearance. We are most proud of the collective effort at the Interhouse Choir Competition. Amassed on the choir rises, England displayed an inspiring level of unity, each girl drawing energy from her friends around her, irrespective of Year level, to achieve first place with a creative rendition of Fireflies by Owl City. Organised by our Year 11 students, the England Open Day Churro stall was also a

huge success. To raise money for our House Charity, Young Care, who provide suitable homes for young Australians with special needs, girls provided churros and a wide range of delicious toppings. We are proud to report that England raised an incredible $2700 to donate to Young Care. All in all, 2019 has been an incredibly rewarding and enjoyable year for everyone in England House. We thank each of the England House Group teachers who have supported our events this year, and our Head of House, Ms Stark, in particular for being the quintessential coordinator behind it all. Samantha Dash and Sophie Smaha HOUSE CAPTAINS

08 | BRISBANE GIRLS GRAMMAR SCHOOL 2019

BRISBANE GIRLS GRAMMAR SCHOOL 2019 | 09

HOUSE S

GIBSON

IN PURPLE WE UNITE, JOIN THE GIBSON FIGHT #GIBSONHOOD

T he year began with another successful Gibson House party, with purple flooding the Pool Lawn as our House reconnected and strengthened the ‘Gibsonhood’. Gibson’s spirit was first displayed at the Interhouse Swimming Carnival in Term 1. Our loud stomps, cheers and war cries echoed throughout the complex with overwhelming support for our fellow Gibson swimmers. Later in Term 1, our House spirit was demonstrated again at the Interhouse Cross Country Carnival. It was heart-warming

to see Gibsonites cheer, encourage and run beside their Gibson sisters as they crossed the finish line. Our efforts clearly paid off as Gibson placed third. In Term 2, Gibson rehearsed tirelessly to perform the choral rendition of Don’t Stop Believin’ . While we did not win, we enjoyed learning the dance moves and harmonies to this classic song. In Term 3, Gibson girls joined together at Open Day to raise money for our House Charity, the Lady Musgrave Trust. The Trust provides life-saving services to women and their children experiencing homelessness.

Through our Strawberries and Ice-cream stall, we raised $2362. Thank you to our Gibson House Group teachers and to our Head of House, Mrs Boltman, for all your help, care and organisation this year. Of course, we thank our fellow Gibson sisters for embracing our goals and being a part of the ‘Gibsonhood.’ Chelsea Davidson and Jessica Xu HOUSE CAPTAINS

010 | BRISBANE GIRLS GRAMMAR SCHOOL 2019

BRISBANE GIRLS GRAMMAR SCHOOL 2019 | 011

HOUSE S

GRIFFITH

WEAVE THE WEB

G riffithHouse is known for its enthusiasm and community spirit. The 2019 Griffith Seniors wanted to build on this and strengthen the connection between girls from all Year levels in our House. With this goal in mind, we developed the motto, ‘Weave the Web’, aiming to weave a support network for all girls and be a united force at Interhouse events. A highlight of the year was the Interhouse Swimming Carnival inTerm 1, where we tied first. We were delighted to have a Griffith girl

Thank you to our House Group teachers who are integral to the success of the House and for their ongoing support. And of course, Griffith House would not be the same without our Head of House, Ms O’Sullivan—the heartbeat of our House. Ms O’Sullivan’s leadership has created the accepting and warm environment that is Griffith House and we thank her for her help throughout the year. Claire Fidler and Alexandra Nash HOUSE CAPTAINS

in every race and see that girls were willing to compete for points, regardless of their speed or experience in the pool. Interhouse Cross Country was the second opportunity for us to demonstrate our strength. Even though we did not come out on top, girls displayed incredible spirit and sportsmanship. At the end of the day, our House played games on the oval. This showcased the Griffith sisterhood and it was rewarding as seniors to see the House connecting in this way.

012 | BRISBANE GIRLS GRAMMAR SCHOOL 2019

BRISBANE GIRLS GRAMMAR SCHOOL 2019 | 013

HOUSE S

HIRSCHFELD

EYE OF THETIGER, WE GOT THE FIRE T he involvement and dedication of each girl in 2019 is what led Hirschfeld to secure the Interhouse Athletics and Interhouse Cross Country Champion House Trophy for the fourth consecutive year. As House Captains, we were extremely proud to be a part of such an encouraging and talented team. In Term 1, at our House party, we introduced our goals and themes for 2019 and unveiled this year’s motto for Hirschfeld House, ‘Eye of the tiger, we got the fire’. We hope all girls enjoyed themselves and developed new friendships within the House. Mindfulness was a major focus for Hirschfeld House this year. Mindfulness practice, especially before assessment, empowered girls to feel confident and calm throughout examinations. In addition to mindfulness sessions we implemented ‘Just Dance’ practices and dedicated times for laughter at assemblies, to promote a sense of calm and happiness at the beginning of the day. Hirschfeld’s infamous Hot Potatoes at Open Day were once again a hit and would not have been possible without the involvement and support of the entire House. We were honoured to donate a total of $7600 to our House Charities, The Pyjama Foundation, which supports the education of children in foster care, and The Smith Family, who support disadvantaged children and their families. It has been a privilege to lead such an enthusiastic and wonderful group of girls. From the bottom of our hearts, we thank every girl for their contribution to Hirschfeld this year. We also thank our Head of House, Mrs Dabelstein, and House Group teachers for their support. We will miss you all and wish you the very best. Eliza Douglas and Nina Hadzivukovic HOUSE CAPTAINS

014 | BRISBANE GIRLS GRAMMAR SCHOOL 2019

BRISBANE GIRLS GRAMMAR SCHOOL 2019 | 015

HOUSE S

LILLEY

EASY TO BE GREEN IN 2019 their House spirit. Our Lilley ‘froggies’ leapt into the pool and swam their hearts out at the Interhouse Swimming Carnival. Our efforts paid off as we won the Champion House Trophy. The House also displayed athleticism at Interhouse Cross Country where we placed a commendable fourth. The participation and enthusiasm at

T his year was a memorable one for Lilley House, due to the team work, spirit and commitment demonstrated by all girls. It was ‘Easy to be Green in 2019’ with our Lilley Frogs supporting and encouraging their Lilley sisters in their curriculum and co- curricular activities. Girls swarmed the Cherrell Hirst Creative Learning Centre in a sea of green for ‘Splendour in the Swamp’ at this year’s Lilley House party, where we participated in ‘frog- tastic’ activities before the Miss Lilley Award for best dressed was announced. Throughout the year, Lilley House had the opportunity to display their talents in the pool, on the track and field, and demonstrate

outstanding in organising our stall and we thank those who made fudge. We also thank our House Service Captains, Ella Ng and Joyce Tsai, who played an important role in organising the fudge stall and supporting our House Charity. This year has been unforgettable for Lilley House. Thank you to our Head of House, Mrs Edwards, for your ongoing support which has made this successful year possible. Maris Hale and Isabella Koekoek HOUSE CAPTAINS

Interhouse events would not have been achieved without our dedicated House Sports Captains, Jessica Pink and Nigella McAuliffe, who organised each event throughout the year. Open Day 2019 was an opportunity to raise funds for our House Charity, The Melanoma Institute. Year 11 girls were

016 | BRISBANE GIRLS GRAMMAR SCHOOL 2019

BRISBANE GIRLS GRAMMAR SCHOOL 2019 | 017

HOUSE S

MACKAY

MACKAY BY CHANCE, SISTERS BY CHOICE D iving into the Interhouse Swimming Carnival, Mackay endeavoured to fill every race and try our hardest in each event. Our hard work resulted in Mackay achieving an amazing first place—tying with Griffith and Lilley! This wonderful achievement set the standard for the rest of the year. Gritting our teeth, we set our sights on the finish line at Interhouse Cross Country, and we were thrilled to achieve second place for the second year in a row! When it came to the final sporting event of the year, Mackay once again pushed themselves harder than ever before and were able to celebrate another triumph, placing second in the Interhouse Athletics Carnival. This success is a result of the effort and athleticism of our Mackay sisters and of course, our dedicated House Sports Captains, Ela Noble and Catherine Ta. Our House Choir Captains, Sioned King and Grace McFarlane, masterfully led us in the singing of ‘This is Me’ from The Greatest Showman at the Interhouse Choir Competition. The song was a perfect match for our House, as it illustrated the perseverance and grit for which Mackay is renowned. In 2019, we endeavoured to foster the same feeling of unity which 12M has cherished as a House Group for the past five years, across our entire House. We are extremely proud of each Year level, as they have all contributed to the Mackay spirit throughout 2019. Our motto for this year, ‘Mackay by chance, sisters by choice’, clearly reflects the genuine connections that can be found in our House. This year, Mackay fundraised for Miracles for Melanoma—Mater Foundation, in honour of Mackay alumna, Gina Savage (2013), who was diagnosed with Melanoma in 2015. Mackay is proud of our collective efforts to raise money for Miracles for Melanoma as well as sponsoring our World Vision children. Finally, we thank our Mackay House Group teachers and Head of House, Ms Jans. We know that our House Group teachers always put so much effort into guiding and inspiring us, and we are grateful for their efforts. Ms Jans, our amazing Head of House, has helped us to run House assemblies, guided us in developing our leadership skills and inspired us to be better people. We could not be more appreciative of the dedication and love she puts into Mackay House, and we are confident that the determination and passion displayed by the 2019 #Mackaysisters will continue in the years to come. Chloe McCormack and Lilian Schuetz HOUSE CAPTAINS

018 | BRISBANE GIRLS GRAMMAR SCHOOL 2019

BRISBANE GIRLS GRAMMAR SCHOOL 2019 | 019

HOUSE S

O'CONNOR

YOU’LL ALWAYS FIND UNITY IN THE O’COMMUNITY

T his year’s motto for O’Connor House was ‘You’ll always find unity in the O’Community’. With the aim of fostering unity, we used the annual House party as a way to bond between each Year level. Highlights included the octopus piñatas, brownie wall and balloon arch. When the Interhouse Swimming Carnival arrived, Year 11 and 12 girls made encouraging posters to support our swimmers and we were especially proud of the Year 7 girls for their unmatched enthusiasm.

In Term 2, our amazing House Choir Captains, Sophia Parker and Sana Saleem, led us in our performance of Michael Jackson’s Man in the Mirror . Though it took a while for everyone to find their voices, our House performed with enthusiasm and glee. Special mention to Lily Lau-Coombs (11O) on her amazing solo. In Term 3, we established ‘Tentacle Groups’ to continue our campaign for connectedness and we applied our teamwork skills atourOpenDay stall,wheregirlsworked together to produce the brownies, while

Year 11 girls made posters and decorations as well as manning the stall. The money raised on the night was donated to The Cherish Foundation, our 2019 House Charity. Looking back on this year, we are proud of how unified our O’Connor family has become. We will never forget the memories and bonds that have been forged among our O’Connor sisters and will cherish our experience as House Captains forever. Sarah Taylor and Emilia Weeden HOUSE CAPTAINS

020 | BRISBANE GIRLS GRAMMAR SCHOOL 2019

BRISBANE GIRLS GRAMMAR SCHOOL 2019 | 021

HOUSE S

WOOLCOCK

TOGETHER INTHE HIVE, TAKEFLIGHT AND THRIVE W oolcock’s motto for 2019 was ‘Together in the hive, take flight and thrive’, which aimed to encourage girls to be enthusiastically involved in our Woolcock Hive. This motto embodied our goals for the year and helped create a close-knit, supportive family within our House. There was also a focus on making sure girls felt individually appreciated, with the idea that each bee in the hive is equally as important and valued. Awarding aWoolcockWomanof theWeekallowed us to celebrate girls’ individual accomplishments. The concept that each girl within our House represents an individual bee within our hive helped develop greater unity across all Year levels, with the hope of achieving maximum participation and involvement in House activities throughout the year. Woolcock House is known for being an encouraging and spirited House, and this year was no exception. In 2019, we hoped to bring our enthusiasm and energy to the sporting area at all Interhouse competitions, which was evident in our war cries. Whether it was Swimming, Cross Country or Athletics, we wanted every girl to feel included in our Woolcock Hive and cheer on their sisters in the pool and on the track or field. With this collective perseverance and determination, we were able to put our best feet forward and continue improving on previous years’ performances. Each girl put in 110 per cent and our fantastic results would not have been possible without the dedication of our Woolcock warriors. Mackenzie Curtis and Penelope Sophios HOUSE CAPTAINS

022 | BRISBANE GIRLS GRAMMAR SCHOOL 2019

BRISBANE GIRLS GRAMMAR SCHOOL 2019 | 023

S enior CLASS OF 2019

BEANLAND

Gabrielle Ainscough

Anneliese Castle

Zara Catelan

Chloe Cheng

Miah Clarke

Paris Comiskey

Lara Couzens

Anoosheh Dastagir

Jenny Do

Ellen Dowling

Clare Goodhill

Anna Hammett

Lillian Harding Bradburn

Sophie Hassall

Carol Hu

Niamh Lingard

Georgia Lytras

Olivia Maloney

Niamh Maybloom

Alice Middleton

Sophie Nolan

Amelia Stacey

Arabella Walsh

BRISBANE GIRLS GRAMMAR SCHOOL 2019 | 025

ENGLAND

Abbey Anstey-Walsh

Elise Champion

Madeline Clark

Samantha Dash

Adhiti Gobindnarain

Caitlin Goston

Sophia Gradwell

Emily Ho

Sooyoung Lee

Francesca Lenti

Mirabel Loy

Isabelle McHugh

Elizabeth Moss

Isabella Murdoch

Chiara Musso

Holly Rowland

Priyanka Rudra

Isabel Scott

Sophie Smaha

Felicity Smyth

Rachel Trimboli

Kirsten Viljoen

026 | BRISBANE GIRLS GRAMMAR SCHOOL 2019

GIBSON

Morgan Bloomfield

Scarlett Brickwood

Chelsea Davidson

Alexandra Eadie

Zoe Ferguson

Constance Gentner

Imogen (Mai) Greenall

Sarah Mangos

Martina Marrama

Ruby Masel

Phoebe Oats

Gemma Rowland-King

Jorja Simpson

Ella Snape

Finn Tilbury

Mia Vecchio

Laura Verdasco

Asha Webb

Kate Xavier

Jessica Xu

BRISBANE GIRLS GRAMMAR SCHOOL 2019 | 027

GRIFFITH

Hayley Evans

Claire Fidler

Amelia Gilbert

Zara Haines

Sophia Harris

Katherine Heseltine

Georgia Kassman

Grace McAuley

Alexandra Nash

Renee Newcomb

Nina Panayotov

You Ri (Youri) Park

Kelsea Sudrikku

Amelia Takken

Jessica Turner

Devika Varsani

Sophie Watkins

Eleanor Williams

Isabella Williams

Mia Williams

028 | BRISBANE GIRLS GRAMMAR SCHOOL 2019

HIRSCHFELD

Sarah Beavan

Ella-Mae Brucklacher

Si Zhe (Jacqui) Cai

Abigail Clacher

Hilary Cory

Charlotte De Pasquale

Annabel (Annie) Donald

Eliza Douglas

Isabella Elcock

Tomris Ercan

April Golder

Zoe Goss

Rebecca Groves

Nina Hadzivukovic

Jessica Holland

Claudia Kelley

Monami Kundu

Paige McAvoy

Lucia Pafumi

Alison Yu

BRISBANE GIRLS GRAMMAR SCHOOL 2019 | 029

LILLEY

Lucy Banney

Eliza Baulch

Charlotte Brougham

Mackenzie Bryson

Madeleine Butler

Charlotte Duff

Tarra Ellis

Maris Hale

Olivia Hamilton

Annika Honan

Jane Jonatan

Isabella Koekoek

Nigella McAuliffe

Elisabeth McCoombes

Ella Ng

Jessica Pink

Georgia Powe

Anisha Ranchigoda

Samantha Smart

Emma Thorn Gutierrez

Joyce Tsai

Zoe Wenck

030 | BRISBANE GIRLS GRAMMAR SCHOOL 2019

MACKAY

Emily Bowden

Georgia Chapman

Erin Christmas

Mia Clarke

Alessia D'Arro

Tamieka Fernance

Julia Ganter

Yuwen Guo

Stephanie Jones

Sioned King

Chia-Ying (Angela) Lin

Aymen Malik

Chloe McCormack

Grace McFarlane

Jessica McLeod

Elzbieta (Ela) Noble

Lucy Rayner-Toy

Lilian Schuetz

Lara Seymour

Phoebe Singh

Catherine Ta

BRISBANE GIRLS GRAMMAR SCHOOL 2019 | 031

O'CONNOR

Antonina Anderson

Phoebe Chin

Claire Evans

Lillian Geffen

Gemma Grattan

Mackenzie Kerr

Chloe Kirkwood

Portia Konovalenko

Hannah Levitt

Isabella Nye

Sophia Parker

Alexandra Pearson

Shevani Pothugunta

Georgia Power

Sarah Pyman

Ellena Rasmussen

Sana Saleem

Sarah Taylor

Hsin-Tsu (Isabel) Tseng

Piper Van Der Westhuizen

Emilia Weeden

Emily Yu

032 | BRISBANE GIRLS GRAMMAR SCHOOL 2019

WOOLCOCK

Tayla Ainsworth

Bianca Anderson

Imogen Clayden-Zabik

Mackenzie Curtis

Phoebe Griffin

Victoria Hogan

Sneha Jaiswal

Alice Kuo

Ashley Kuo

Ritika Motamarri

Claire Pritchard

Sophie Sheppard

Penelope Sophios

Karen Sundar

Grace Tap

Brianna Wakefield

Portia Ward

Emma Wheeley

Ella Whyte

Elisha Yin

Hanyong (Hannah) Zhang

BRISBANE GIRLS GRAMMAR SCHOOL 2019 | 033

STUDENT COUNCIL Front row: Alexandra Nash, Jessica Xu, Penelope Sophios, Mrs Emma Lowry, Jessica McLeod, Ms Jacinda Euler, Martina Marrama, Mrs Anne Ingram, Isabella Koekoek, Madeline Clark Second row: Emilia Weeden, Brianna Wakefield, Lilian Schuetz, Sophie Smaha, Nina Hadzivukovic, Arabella Walsh, Mackenzie Curtis, Maris Hale, Kirsten Viljoen Back row: Chloe McCormack, Victoria Hogan, Eliza Douglas, Ellen Dowling, Gemma Grattan, Sarah Taylor, Samantha Dash, Sophie Sheppard, Chelsea Davidson, Claire Fidler

CAPTAINS OF CULTURAL ACTIVITIES Front row: Adhiti Gobindnarain, Sophie Sheppard, Ms Ellena Papas, Brianna Wakefield, Rebecca Groves Back row: Emily Yu, Anna Hammett, Ella-Mae Brucklacher, Tayla Ainsworth, Nina Panayotov, Laura Verdasco

034 | BRISBANE GIRLS GRAMMAR SCHOOL 2019

CAPTAINS OF SPORT Front row: Phoebe Singh, Georgia Kassman, Kelsea Sudrikku, Ms Ellena Papas, Kirsten Viljoen, Madeline Clark, Ms Jo Duffy, Abbey Anstey-Walsh, Mackenzie Kerr, Alice Kuo Second row: Mirabel Loy, Ashleigh Brant, Grace McAuley, Tomris Ercan, Isabella Murdoch, Elise Champion, Emily Bowden, Erin Christmas, Sooyoung Lee Third row: Samantha Smart, Lucia Pafumi, Isabella Elcock, Eliza Baulch, Tamieka Fernance, Georgia Irving, Carol Hu, Chiara Musso Back row: Lucy Banney, Phoebe Griffin, Olivia Hamilton, Sophia Parker, Portia Ward, Elizabeth Moss, Constance Gentner, Georgia Chapman, Abigail Clacher Absent: Dayle McDonald, Ela Noble

CAPTAINS OF SERVICE AND ACTIVITY GROUPS Front row: Victoria Chen, Victoria Hogan, Mrs Lynne Mungomery, Mrs Valerie Miller, Ms Ellena Papas, Ms Rachael Christopherson, Gemma Grattan, Amelia Vanderstoep Second row: Eva Seet, Sophie Watson, Gia Cayas, Sophie Watkins, Leia Kirkham, Lauren Stacey, Kate Edmondston Back row: Annabel Donald, Piper Van Der Westhuizen, Amelia Gilbert, Katherine Withers, Astrid Walters, Abbey Grice, Emily Bowden

BRISBANE GIRLS GRAMMAR SCHOOL 2019 | 035

Community

Bi-Grammar; Foundation Day; Mindfulness; Books2Devour; Blue Days; Open Day 2019; Mother and Daughter Dinner; Father and Daughter Dinner; Valentine’s Day; International Women’s Day; Student Environmental Leadership Network; Lord Mayor’s Youth Advisory Council; Diversity Day; Affiliate School Visits; Year 7,8 and 9 Prefects; Year 11 Charity Social; Year 12 Formal

BI-GRAMMAR

B i-Grammar is a series of events organised by Brisbane Girls Grammar School and Brisbane Grammar School (BGS) Student Councils. This year, we decided to take a new approach, running a mixed-team trivia night. The decision to introduce teams of 10 (five girls and five boys) aligned with our ambition to unite the cohorts and build stronger, lifelong bonds within the Grammar community.

The trivia night was held at Girls Grammar and began with an ice-breaker activity of brainstorming a team name. The evening was led by two student MCs who constructed 10 trivia questions related to six different categories. The trivia night was tremendously enjoyable and successful in strengthening relationships with our peers at BGS. Eliza Douglas (12H)

FOUNDATION DAY

O n Wednesday 13 March, Brisbane Girls Grammar School held its annual Foundation Day Assembly, celebrating 144 years since the School’s foundation in 1875. At this year’s Assembly, Actress and Grammar Woman, Ms Angie Milliken (Head Girl, 1981), reflected on her time at the School. Ms Milliken spoke of her career in theatre, television and film, and the significance of Girls Grammar on her personal and professional development. Following Assembly, each House celebrated the School’s birthday with traditional blue and white cake. Principal, Ms Euler, and Head Girls, Martina Marrama (12G) and Jessica McLeod (12M), led the celebrations with a cake-cutting ceremony outside of the Main Building.

BRISBANE GIRLS GRAMMAR SCHOOL 2019 | 037

Community

MINDFULNESS

T he School’s Mindfulness program seeks to provide meaningful tools to combat the many pressures adolescents face: the lure of ‘busyness’ and over-commitment; academic pressures; perfectionistic tendencies; and other common stressors of modern life. Embedded throughout classes and activities across the School, mindful practices encourage girls and staff to pause and be present, and become conscious and aware of our experiences and the opportunity to choose how we respond. These skills are shown to have immediate and ongoing benefits to the social and emotional wellbeing, and academic outcomes for adolescents (Hennelly, 2011). After careful consideration and rigorous training and development for staff, the School launched its .b Mindfulness program in 2015. In 2019, the School’s growing team now comprises five trained Mindfulness facilitators. Since its beginnings, students and staff have regularly praised the program as an effective and easy way to bring a sense of calm to any situation, and celebrate the good things in life. Mr Donald Pincott HEAD OF VISUAL ART AND SCHOOL MINDFULNESS FACILITATOR

I n celebration of Book Week 2019, the Libellum Society hosted BOOKS2DEVOUR and students brought in book-themed cakes. Entries included titles such as The Importance of Being Earnest, Possum Magic, The Girl of Ink and Stars, The Hobbit, and Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. Girls also hosted an additional cupcake stall to raise funds for the Indigenous Literacy Foundation. Isla Fisher (9L) and Leia Kirkham (9B) LIBELLUM CAPTAINS BOOKS2DEVOUR

038 | BRISBANE GIRLS GRAMMAR SCHOOL 2019

BLUE DAYS

B lue Days in 2019 have been incredibly successful, bringing all girls together to celebrate our Grammar sisters ahead of their QGSSSA sporting competitions. Each Blue Day saw the School decorated in blue, while adhering to our collective environmental focus by using only recyclable and low-waste materials. We kicked off the year with a ‘Beachy’ Blue Day, then ‘Royal’ Blue Day, where girls dressed like kings and queens in our signature royal blue. In Term 3 we celebrated ‘Denim’ Blue Day and our final Blue Day was themed ‘Love’.

Girls were greeted by Student Council as they entered the School gates on Blue Days and could choose to have their faces painted and purchase unique and beautifully designed badges—a collectables item with different designs from each event throughout the School year. Blue Days in 2019 were

truly ones to remember. Mackenzie Curtis (12W)

BRISBANE GIRLS GRAMMAR SCHOOL 2019 | 039

OPEN DAY 2019

Community

The campus, lit with fairy lights, was a hub of performances and demonstrations from a range of curricular and co-curricular activities.

O ne of the most anticipated events in the Brisbane Girls Grammar School calendar is the annual Open Day event. Open Day 2019 was an opportunity for current and future families, staff and alumnae to immerse themselves and celebrate the Girls Grammar community. Year 11 students coordinated the individual House stalls, where visitors were able to enjoy Open Day favourites such as Hirschfeld’s Hot Potatoes and Lilley's Fudge, as well as new additions such as Woolcock’s Bubble Tea. The Open Day badges also proved popular, with proceeds supporting the Stars Foundation. Other Open Day 2019 highlights included School tours, interactive displays, an information session with the Chair of the Board of Trustees and Principal, and performances by the School’s music and drama ensembles. Thank you to the students, volunteers, P&F Association and Parent Support Groups who were integral to achieving an engaging and enjoyable event. Sophie Smaha (12E)

040 | BRISBANE GIRLS GRAMMAR SCHOOL 2019

MOTHER AND DAUGHTER DINNER O n Thursday 20 June, Mothers Group hosted the annual Mother and Daughter Dinner at the Sofitel Brisbane Central. The evening provided an opportunity to meet other members of the School community, including new families commencing at Girls Grammar in 2020.

Highlights included a musical performance by the School’s Flute Ensemble and a debate between Grammar Women (Lucinda Duke (Head Girl, 2017), Isabel Nolan (2017) and Ellen Winning (2017)) and Grammar girls (Miah Clarke (12B), Abbey Grice (11E) and Portia Ward (12W)), adjudicated by Sadie MacDonald (2014). Despite the wit and humour on display from the Girls Grammar team the Grammar Women team secured the win arguing ‘mum knows best’. The evening was a wonderful celebration of the unique bond between mothers and their daughters.

FATHER AND DAUGHTER DINNER

T he 2019 Father and Daughter Dinner provided an opportunity for Grammar girls to celebrate the unique bond between fathers and their daughters. More than 400 fathers and daughters attended the evening which was a lovely opportunity to meet other members of the School community, including new families commencing at Girls Grammar in 2020. Guests enjoyed a musical performance from the winners of the Gillies Vocal Ensemble Competition. Another highlight was the Trivia Quiz, hosted by the witty, Mr Stephen Fogarty, which saw four Year 12 girls battle it out against four fathers. Some healthy competition was on display throughout the night, however the Year 12 girls managed to come away with a win. Ellen Dowling (12B)

BRISBANE GIRLS GRAMMAR SCHOOL 2019 | 041

Community

VALENTINE’S DAY

T his year students across all Year levels partook in the much-anticipated Valentine’s Day celebrations on Tuesday 14 February. True to tradition, girls swapped their royal blue ribbons for pink face paint and red tutus in support of Second Chance.

With Valentine’s Day being the first big event of the School year, the Student Council made their mark and set the tone for the rest of the year. Madeline Clark (12E)

The Student Council was instrumental in organising the decorations, badges and bake stall, with all proceeds being donated to Second Chance.

042 | BRISBANE GIRLS GRAMMAR SCHOOL 2019

INTERNATIONAL WOMEN’S DAY

O n Friday 8 March, Girls Grammar celebrated International Women’s Day 2019 in numerous ways, including the installation of a colourful paper chain, symbolising the day’s theme, ‘More Powerful Together’. Students and staff wrote the names of women who inspired them on paper cut outs. These were then connected as a paper chain and installed along Cherrell Hirst Creative Learning Centre walkway, inviting girls and staff to stop and read the messages and reflect on the names that appeared.

The names included international figures—Michelle Obama, Nancy Pelosi and Ruth Bader Ginsberg—along with leaders from closer to home, such as Julie Bishop and Jacinda Adern. Authors, artists and athletes also featured, with girls celebrating Sally Pearson, Ashleigh Barty, Charlotte Brontë and Frida Kahlo. The most frequent tributes however, were to those women who make an impact on our lives everyday—Principal, Ms Jacinda Euler, teachers, a friend or a beloved female relative. Head of Mackay House, Ms Ruth Jans, worked with the School’s Service Captains and Year 11 students, who attended the 2018Women of the World (WOW) conference, to create and implement the paper chain installation and posters of pioneering women. This year, the School hosted the second International Women’s Day Concert, which premiered three commissioned works by contemporary Australian women composers, performed by the Combined Strings Ensemble, Chorale and Big Band. As well as this, Chair of the Board of Trustees, and Chief Diversity and Inclusion Officer at PricewaterhouseCoopers, Ms Julie McKay, was interviewed about improving gender equality and her own role within this space. Ms Ruth Jans HEAD OF MACKAY HOUSE

STUDENT ENVIRONMENTAL LEADERSHIP NETWORK

T his year we have been the School’s representatives for the Student Environmental Leadership Network (SELN), organised by the Brisbane City Council. The program supports students to improve the sustainability of their schools. For Girls Grammar's project, the focus has been on reducing the School’s contribution to landfill. This was achieved by introducing recycling and ‘Containers for Change’ bins at the Main Campus. The bins were

been filled with our refundable containers and we look forward to sending these to the ‘Containers for Change’ collection point. We are incredibly proud of this achievement and hope the culture of recycling becomes a permanent feature of the Girls Grammar community. Jillian Campbell (10O) and Sophie McLeod (10M)

decorated with informative posters by the Grammar Environmental and Conservation Organisation (GECO). After introducing these bins, we raised awareness to the concept of ‘mindful disposing’ at assemblies. We are pleased to report that since commencing the project, 45 kg of rubbish is recycled a day. In addition, each week the School redirects 1400 kg of tuckshop waste, general cardboard and garden waste away from landfill. Two large storage bins have also

BRISBANE GIRLS GRAMMAR SCHOOL 2019 | 043

Community

LORD MAYOR’S YOUTH ADVISORY COUNCIL

T he Lord Mayor’s Youth Advisory Council (LMYAC) is a Brisbane City Council initiative that seeks to give Brisbane youth the opportunity to discuss relevant issues and help plan the future of Brisbane. Year 10 students from a number of schools participate in the program. In the past, Sophie Watkins (12R) and Selena Song (10E) have participated in the program, which consists of termly meetings chaired by Lord Mayor, Adrian Schrinner. As part of the program, students were introduced to Brisbane’s vision for 2031, which includes eight key goals. Students then voted on which goal they thought was most important and this goal became the 2019 LMYAC theme. Throughout the year, we brainstormed initiatives in groups and prepared a pitch around the theme. My group’s concept involved local musicians performing on Brisbane City Cats. Other ideas which emerged from brainstorming included supplying phone chargers on council buses and free Brisbane art workshops. Aside from termly meetings, students can participate in events such as the 100+ Morning Tea, Brisbane Youth Week, National Flag Day, Young Leaders Day, Homeless Connect and workshops centred on mental health and leadership. Abbey Grice (11E)

DIVERSITY DAY

I n Term 3, the Uralla Club hosted their annual Diversity Day forum, a student-led discussion panel which aims to highlight and celebrate diversity in the School and broader community. This year’s theme was ‘Connections’. Lua Jarrah (11B) and I moderated the Forum, which included former Principal of Milpera State High School and Chair of Friends of the Home of Expressive Arts of Learning (FHEAL), Ms Adele Rice, representatives from the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Unit at The University of Queensland, Professor Tracey Bunda

ethnic groups, the Forum was insightful and thought provoking. Each panellist stressed the power of language in building connections and making authentic, meaningful and respectful relationships. Be it through the curriculum and/or through community engagement, this requires not just the desire to do so, but the willingness to listen ‘deeply’, to learn and ‘unlearn’ what we think we ‘know’. The School is grateful for the wisdom and depth of experience shared with students and staff. Claire Fidler (12R )

and Ms Emma Olssen, and Counsellor and Community Educator, Ms Sara Pane, from ZigZag Young Women’s Resource Centre. Panellists shared their experience of, and insights into, what they believe it means to embrace and accept diversity. They also discussed the undercurrent of apathy and disconnect of society in terms of the nature of, and reactions to, national and global issue of significance, including global refugee crises and islamophobia. With discussions about the impact of institutionalised racism, monoculturalism and mythologies perpetuated by the media about particular

044 | BRISBANE GIRLS GRAMMAR SCHOOL 2019

French Affiliate School T here are few words that can describe what it is like to ‘adopt’ a sister or brother for 10 days, but here are a few: extraordinary, unforgettable and honestly, hilarious. This was my second year of hosting a French exchange student and my family and I enjoyed the experience. Welcoming a stranger into your house is no easy task, particularly when they may not be proficient in your own language but my experience with our exchange students, Maïwen and Emma, has been nothing short of incredible. Hosting a foreign student is both gratifying and humbling, which is why it is an experience that I always whole-heartedly recommend to fellow students. Having been an exchange student myself, I particularly enjoy hosting French students, as we have a surprising amount in common and immersing someone in the Australian culture is something that I thoroughly enjoy— particularly when they have their first taste of vegemite! Letitia Harper (11G) AFFILIATE SCHOOL VISITS

Year 7 Prefects W e were overcome with joy to be appointed as Prefects for Year 7 Mackay. Year 7 is such a monumental year as it is, for most students, where their Girls Grammar journey begins. We were honoured to be able to guide our younger sisters through their first year of secondary school, just like our own Year 12 Prefects had done for us. We were privileged to watch girls adapt to life at the School and help them on this exciting journey. Working with Year 7 students also allowed us to refine our leadership skills. We thank Ms Boyle and Year 7 House Group teachers for helping us support the next generation of Grammar girls. Finally, to the Year 7 girls, congratulations! We hope you are proud of yourselves for finishing your first year of secondary school and are looking forward to sharing the next five years with some wonderful friends and incredible teachers. Erin Christmas (12M) and Lucy Rayner-Toy (12M) Year 8 Prefects A s Year 8 Prefects, our role was to help shape a positive experience for Year 8 Gibson girls. Being in Year 8, girls are accustomed to life at Girls Grammar but from time to time, still require advice and support from their older peers. Throughout the year, we worked closely with House Group Captains to organise games, activities and competitions both within the House Group and against other Houses. We hoped to keep our bubbly group of girls entertained each time we visited, but of course we also had to act as role models—ribbons, badges, and a positive attitude were a must. Most importantly, we created strong friendships with each and every girl in our House Group. We could not have asked for a better leadership role this year and will forever cherish our time with the Year 8 students. Zoe Ferguson (12G) and Gemma Rowland-King (12G) Year 9 Prefects B eing a Year 9 Prefect has been an unforgettable and fulfilling experience. We have developed many close friendships with the Year 9 girls and embraced the Girls Grammar sisterhood. Being a role model for the Year 9 girls was a truly amazing experience where we were able to develop our leadership skills. However, the most rewarding part in this journey was being able to watch the girls develop and mature throughout the year. Alexandra Pearson (12O) YEAR 7, 8 AND 9 PREFECTS

Japanese Affiliate School A t the beginning ofTerm3, I had the privilege of hosting an exchange student from Mie High School in Japan. I hosted Kako, a Year 9 student, who is passionate about Debating, English and Snoopy. Kako was able to learn about Australian culture—even things we take for granted, such as using a knife and fork. She loved seeing Brisbane attractions such as the Story Bridge, Mt Coot-tha Lookout and Lone Pine Koala Sanctuary, as well as travelling to the Gold Coast. I have been learning Japanese for three years and through this experience, I was able to expand my skills. I felt that I formed a strong bond with my host sister and gained a new friend. I still communicate with Kako and we often practise our language skills. This was an opportunity of a lifetime, and I would recommend it to any student who studies Japanese. Sophie Lillyman (8B)

BRISBANE GIRLS GRAMMAR SCHOOL 2019 | 045

Community

YEAR 11 CHARITY SOCIAL

T his year, the annual Year 11 Charity Social was held on Saturday 27 July at Victoria Park Golf Complex, in conjunction with Brisbane Grammar School (BGS), to raise funds for Motor Neurone Disease (MND) and the BGS Cambodia Project. From dressing up, to hitting the dance floor and meeting new people, the night provided students with the opportunity to enjoy themselves outside of school. The evening was organised by a committee of six Grammar girls and 10 BGS students, who were selected by their peers. Girls Grammar representatives included Eleni Karanicolas (11H), Sasha McCormack (11M), Mimi Wackwitz (11H), Astrid Walters (11B), Sophie Watson (11E) and myself.Thank you toHead of GibsonHouse, Mrs Boltman, and Head of England House, Ms Stark, for their help in organising such an

enjoyable evening. Abbey Grice (11E)

046 | BRISBANE GIRLS GRAMMAR SCHOOL 2019